When Does A Woman Become Old?

By Erica and Karen

The question we pose involves many complexities, perhaps the largest of which is: what is old?

To some extent, that depends upon social constructs, so we asked ChatGPT, which works by predicting answers based upon what people are actually saying about oldness. ChatGPT said:

There isn’t a specific age when a woman—or anyone—becomes “old,” as it is a subjective concept that varies depending on cultural, social, and personal perspectives. Here are some ways people often think about aging:

1. Biologically: Aging is a gradual process, and signs of aging can appear at different stages for different people. Some may consider physical signs, like wrinkles or gray hair, as markers of “old age,” but these changes can happen at different times in life.

2. Socially and Culturally: In some cultures, a woman may be considered “old” after reaching a certain age, such as 60 or 65, which often aligns with retirement age or senior citizen status. In other contexts, being considered “old” might be tied more to life stages (e.g., after children have grown up, or after menopause).

3. Personal and Self-Perception: Some people might never feel “old,” regardless of their age, because they stay active and engaged with life, while others might start feeling older in their 40s or 50s based on life circumstances or health conditions.

4. Cultural Variation: In different cultures, “old” can be used with respect or reverence, where aging is seen as a sign of wisdom and experience, while in others it might be associated more with decline.

In short, there’s no universal age when a woman becomes “old.” It depends on individual, social, and cultural factors. Many modern perspectives focus more on health, vitality, and mindset than on a specific number.

Quite a reticulated response! We were impressed. Maybe it signifies progress, if it reflects what society thinks. And maybe that is supported by Frank Bruni’s observations about the recent Golden GLobe awards:

I’m not prepared to declare a new day for older women in show business. But I do want to take the occasion of this awards season to celebrate a rare bevy of rich roles for veteran actresses and to articulate the wish that it’s less anomaly than turning point.

*****

But perhaps seasoning, experience and wisdom are in. The youngest of the six nominees in Torres’s category were Kate Winslet, for “Lee,” and Angelina Jolie, for “Maria,” both, at 49, in movies whose titles reflect their unswerving focus on uncommon women.

We hope the apparent progress is real. We had expected something more like the description derived from a 2020 poll, which links oldness to physical health but sets its occurrence at specific ages:

For some, [old] denotes physical deterioration, while others define elderhood by a decline in zeal. No matter the conditions, the inevitable biological affair seems to begin around the age of 57 for the majority of Americans.

Most health systems recognize either 55 or 65 as advanced, given that the official age of retirement in the US is 66 years and 2 months. Older adults between the ages of 65 and 74 are often characterized as being early elderly and those who are 75 years of age and older are often referred to as being late elderly.

Calling a healthy 75 year old woman in the United States late elderly seems a little nuts given the life expectancy of such women—almost 20 years for a 65 year old woman in 2007. Indeed for many people the concept of old does not appear relevant until the 70s and beyond. And of course the older you are, the later you think the concept of old attaches.

We quite like a new approach taken by at least some academics: oldness is linked to your chances of dying in the next year or so.

If your chance of dying within the next year is 2 percent or more, [John Shoven, a prominent economics professor at Stanford University] suggests you might be considered “old.” The above chart shows that the threshold age for being considered old for men increased from about 55 in the 1920s to 70 today.

And finally, if your chance of dying within the next year is 4 percent or higher, you might be considered “very old” or “elderly.” The above chart shows that this threshold for men increased from about 65 in the 1920s to 76 today.

Note that by these definitions, “old” in the 1920s—55—is now considered “middle aged” today, and “very old” in the 1920s—65—is now considered merely “old” today.

Obviously, this approach delinks the number of years one has lived from the concept of old, linking it instead to declining physical or mental health. That view is consistent with the fact that some 75 year olds feel young, and some 45 year olds feel old—a concept sometimes called subjective age. And it also permits you to have more agency in the whole matter. You can, to some extent, reduce the likelihood of death, and thereby reduce the lokelihood you will be old, by taking care of yourself. Control is a heartening reality.

None of this is to suggest any desire on our part to stay young. It is rather a desire on our part to have our age not be seen as a proxy for decrepit, or retired from life, with one foot in the beyond. We embrace our age—neither of our mothers had the luxury of reaching the ages we have reached—but we want to be seen as women who are not done, and not old.

We want you to be seen that way too. Whatever you plan to do with your new age.